Liquid heat motor



Aug. 11, 1936. L; M PERSONS n 2,050,668

LIQUID HEAT MOTOR Filed April 29, 1935 Patented ug. 11, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LIQUID HEAT MOTOR a corporation of Iowa Application April 29, 1935, Serial No. 18,741

4 Claims. (Cl. 60--25) An object of my present invention is to provide a liquid type of heat motor of simple, durable and inexpensive construction so constructed that gentle return of liquid from an expansible controller member to the boiler does not cause collapse of the controller member.

Still a further object is to provide a heat motor in which the liquid can be returned however upon de-energization of the heating element for the boiler in such manner that it agitates the surface.v of the hot liquid in the boiler and causes the cold returning liquid to elfectively contact with the vapors for causing quick collapse of the expansible member.

More particularly it is my object to provide a simple means for accomplishing the foregoing objects consisting of a return riser tube in the boiler which is directed toward a side wall of the boiler under the liquid level in such manner that gentle return of the liquid from the expansible member does not disturb the hot surface of the liquid and consequently the boiler does not collapse but quickly returning liquid, caused by discontinuing the heating of the boiler, does disturb and thereby eiectively exposes a greater area of the hot surface to the vapor in the boiler, whereupon the boiler does collapse so that quick contraction of the controller member is secured.

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section of a liquid heat motor embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a similar view showing a modied form of the invention.

Figure 4 is a similar view showing another and the preferred modied form; and

Figures 5 and 6 are similar views on the line 5-5 of Figure 4 showing two different operating conditions of the heat motor.

On the accompanying drawing, I have used the reference numeral I0 to indicate a base. Sealed on the base is an expansible controller member or bellows I2 having an extension I4 which may be connected with any device to be controlled. Also sealed relative to the base I0 is a boiler I6 having a neck I3. Heating means is provided for the boiler I 6, which on the drawing is illustrated as an electric heating element 20 wound on a layer of insulation 22 on the boiler. My present invention is particularly characterized by a riser tube 24 having a discharge nozzle 26.

A heat motor of this type is adapted to be mounted in the position of Figure 1 with the 5 boiler I5 vertically arranged. The bellows I2 and the boiler I6 of course are completely filled with a suitable volatile iluid 28, shown in Figures 5 and 6, but which has been omitted from Figure 1. Upon operation of the heating element 20 10 some of the liquid 28 is volatilized and will depress the level of the liquid to a line indicated in Figure l at 30. With the heating element remaining energized, the liquid level will nally seek a balance at about the line 30 and this line, of l5 course, will be level.

I have shown a vertical center line 32 at right angles to the level 30 of the liquid. The discharge orice 26 is arranged at an angle relative to the line 32. 20

It may be either a right angle as in Figure 1 or anupwardly inclined angle of anywhere between zero and preferably 45 as shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6. Preferably the orifice 26 points tangentially toward the wall of the boiler 25 neckas shown in Figures 2 and 4, although it may be directed at right angles toward it as in Figure 3, if desired. I have experimented with various positions and angles and nd that the one illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 is the best for 30 most conditions.

Heretofore riser tubes 24 have been provided which project the returning liquid up into the boiler I E5. These have had the advantage of causing quick collapse of the bellows I2 when 35 the heating element 20 is cle-energized because the cold returning liquid agitates the hot surface at 30 and projects cold liquid into the vapors in the boiler causing quick condensation thereof.

These have had the disadvantage, however, of 40 also causing the bellows to collapse whenever the heat motor is jarred by the slamming of a door in the house, for instance, or the jerky operation of the damper door connected with the extension i4 when the heat motor is used for 45 controlling furnace dampers. Such jarring slightly collapses the bellows I 2 causing projection of the liquid into the vapors and consequent collapse.

In my device, however, the nozzle 26 being 50 pointed at an angle relative to the center line 32 expels gently returning liquid caused by vibration affecting the bellows I 2 to merely swirl around as indicated by the arrows in Figures 2 and 5, beneath the hot surface of the liquid 28, 55

this surface being illustrated, for instance, between the lines 3d and 30 in Figure 5. These cold returning liquids, however, do not break through to the surface 30 and consequently the bellows does not collapse.

When the heating element 29 is de-energized, however, the liquid will return quickly and with sufficient force to agitate the hot surface of the liquid in the bellows as in Figure 6, the spiral action caused by the tangential arrangement of the nozzle 26 being especially productive of causing the cold liquid to spiral around and roll over on top or" the hot surface as indicated by the arrows in Figure 6 and to project drops 36 of liquid through the hot surface 30. This spiral action also causes the surface 3E] to assume the shape of Figure 6, thus increasing the area of exposure to the vapors in the boiler. Consequently, there is quick collapse of the bellows when the heating element 20 is deenergized. If slower collapse is desired, the angle of the nozzle 2S can be increased relative to the line 32, for instance to the angle shown in Figure l. If still quicker collapse is desired, it can be decreased. Decreasing the angle, however, increases the possibility of gently returning liquid breaking through the hot surface of the liquid in the boiler and causing collapse of the bellows.

In actual practice, I have found an angle of 45 to be the most nearly correct.

Some changes be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my device without departing from the reall spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included in their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a heat motor, a boiler, heating means therefor, an expansible controller member communicating therewith and liquid sealed in said boiler and said expansible member, the means of communication between said boiler and said expansible member comprising a passageway having a discharge orifice constantly submerged in said liquid and inclined upwardly toward the level of said liquid when depressed in said boiler by operation of said heating means.

2. In a heat motor, a boiler, heating means therefor, an expansible controller member communicating therewith and liquid sealed in said boiler and said expansible member, the means of communication between said boiler and said expansible member comprising a passageway having a discharge orifice constantly submerged in said liquid and inclined upwardly toward the level of said liquid when depressed in said boiler, the angle of inclination being substantially 45 degrees whereby gentle return of liquid does not disturb the surface thereof while faster return caused by discontinuing the operation of the heating means causes a disturbance and agitation of the surface to hasten condensation of the vapors within the boiler.

3. In a heat motor, a boiler, heating means therefor, an expansible controller member communicating therewith and liquid sealed in said boiler and said expansible member, the means of communication between said boiler and said expansible member comprising a passageway having a discharge orifice constantly submerged in said liquid and inclined upwardly toward the level of said liquid when depressed in said boiler, said discharge passageway being directed tangentially to the wall of said boiler to cause centrifugal movement of the returning liquid.

4. In a heat motor, a boiler, heating means therefor, an expansible controller member communicating therewith and liquid sealed in said boiler and said expansible member, the means of communication between said boiler and said expansible member comprising a passageway having a discharge orice constantly submerged in said liquid and inclined upwardly toward the level of said liquid when depressed in said boiler, the angle of inclination being substantially 45 degrees whereby gentle return of liquid does not disturb the surface thereof while fast return caused by discontinuing the operation of the heating means causes a disturbance and agitation of the surface to hasten condensation of the vapors within the boiler, said discharge passageway being directed tangentially to the wall of said boiler.

LAWRENCE M. PERSONS. 

